WHEN MITZIE CAME TO LIVE AT OUR HOUSE

�

�

When our daughter, "Missy" was young she wanted to have her own dog.�

It was not to be just any dog but a big dog; an Alsatian.

She was told she could not have one because as our property was not fenced off and the dog would wander off and roam the street.� If it was to bite someone we would be in trouble.

However, I also concerned and realised that one day she would romp home with a puppy and there would be dramas if she wasn't allowed to keep it.

I regularly travelled on business throughout the states of Victoria and NSW and� used to make sure the children took turns to travel with me to see the country and see how other places.

I believed it was important for them to see that their world consisted of more than the town where they were growing up.

On this particular trip it was Missy's her turn.� We had had a long day but before turning to come home.��

We used to breed tropical fish and always looked for new ones to add to our collection.

On the way home� we called at a pet shop in one of the towns we were passing through, which kept tropical and goldfish.

Missy was tired from the long day and did not really want to come in to the shop, saying she� would rather stay in the car and read a book.� I told her I would not be long.

Entering the shop I saw this little bundle on the counter.� It was a little puppy, which seemed to be dressed in clothes that were too large for its body and its ears were dragging on the counter. The skin seemed to be more wrinkles that skin:)

As I had never seen a puppy like that before. My experience was mainly with farm dogs. I asked the lady who owned the shop, what sort of dog was it.

She replied it was a miniature dachshund and would not grow much larger as an adult. She also explained that the puppy would soon fill out its skin and all the wrinkles would smooth out. It was so small it seemed little larger than the palm of your hand.

It looked very cute and cuddly and suddenly the thought occurred to me that here was my opportunity. This sort of dog might solve our dog problem if handled carefully.

I asked� the shop keeper� to leave the puppy on the counter and I would back in a moment.

Using psychology, I said to Missy, "I don't know, I really can't decide what fish to buy for mum. Would you please come and help me decide what you think she would like.

Of course the plan was really for her to see the puppy as she entered the shop. It went as planned and she was soon cooing over this little puppy.

I said to her "you don't want a puppy like that do you"?�

Her reply was "Oooh yes".��

I replied "No, surely not,� you don't want that one. I thought� you wanted a big dog. This one will only grow into a tiny dog. are you sure you really you want it?"

"Yes please, can I really have it", she asked.

Welll....., (doubtfully) :), I said "I think you had better ask your mother".

I asked the shopkeeper if our daughter might use her phone to ring her mother, Anita,� to ask if she could have the dog.

Ringing her mother, she said "Mum! Guess what I have? A puppy. It is a miniature dachund and Dad says I can have it"

Never mind that nothing was said about Dad saying you have to ask your mother:)

Anita told her that if Dad says you can have it then it was ok, but you have to look after it. It is not a cat, so it is not to be inside the house.

When Mitzie came home she did not have a name, so after discussions it was decided that she should be called Mitzie.

Our daughter was told she would have to clean up after it and that it should not be inside the house.

Of course being a little puppy away from its mother for the first time, it cried and our daughter sneaked out to bring it tit bits to eat and to try and console it.

Anita heard the noise and came out and saw her trying to sneak the puppy into her room. Missy told her mother that the puppy was cold and lonely

Anita told her that it could come and stay in the laundry for the night but had to go outside later.

Morning came and Mitzie was not in the laundry but cuddled up to the cats in their basket, in front to of the heater to keep warm.

It was decided that as she was only as big as a cat, it was ok for it to be inside as long as our daughter looked after it.

Mitzie became an "inside" dog that really thought it was a cat.

When she grew up and the cats had kittens, Mitzie would "baby sit" for the mothers and would jealously guard them from harm.

The agreement with the cats was that they were Mitzie's kittens when they were on the sofa and the cats when in the cat basket, although this was not strictly adhered to as Mitzie also slept in the cat basket with the cats and the kittens.

They played and romped together and sometimes the kittens would dig their claws in but Mitzie, apart from a little yelp, would not make much protest.� They would roll and romp on the floor having the time of their lives.

Mitzie never had puppies of her own so the kittens satisfied her maternal instincts.

Whenever she heard the sound of a kitten she would become frantic and start looking for the kitten.� This would happen even if the kitten was on a TV show.� Mitzie would run round and round the TV looking for the lost kitten.

Our youngest son would tease her by making the sound of a kitten, but we soon stopped him from doing it because he made her so anxious.

Mitzie lived till she was ten year old and died of a heart attack.� She never ever thought she was a dog but was a cat and even played like a young kitten.�

Mitzie was with us when Jennah the Burmese cat came to live with us and they became inseparable, but that is another story for later telling.

�

�

Worldwide Copyright John W. 1998,2001

�

Click on the graphic to vote for this
page as a Starting Point Hot Site

�

�

�